PETROLEUM EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION PROCESS

MUHAMMAD IMADUDDIN
Managing Director, BAPEX BUET, 30 APRIL 2008

THE STAGES OF EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT RECONNAISANCE DETAILING PROSPECT STRUCTURE DRILLING WELL RESULT DISCOVERY OR DRY REVIEW APPRAISAL DEVELOPMENT PRODUCTION

CONDITIONS OF FINDING PETROLEUM IS THERE A TRAP TO HOLD PETROLEUM

Find a geological feature that can act as an accumulator of oil/gas

IS THE TRAP SEALED

Determine that the accumulator is sealed; oil/ gas cannot escape

IS THERE A MIGRATION PATH

A path must exist to allow flow of oil/gas to the trap

IS THERE SOURCE MATERIAL OF PETROLEUM

Area must had the material and environment to cook oil/gas

WHERE TO FIND A TRAP EXPLORATION IS EXPENSIVE, SO WHERE DO WE SEARCH WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES WHY SOME AREAS ARE LESS EXPLORED
FOCUS ON MORE PROSPECTIVE AREAS LOOK FOR LESS RISKY PROSPECT COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY NARROWS DOWN AREA FOR EXTENSIVE SURVEY

SURFACE GEOLOGY : THE INITIAL GUIDE GRAVITY MAP: THE FIRST INDICATION

STRUCTURAL VARIATION IN BANGLADESH

SEISMIC NETWORK THE FINAL IDENTIFICATION

SEISMIC DETAILING TO CONFIRM STRUCTURE

TYPE OF TRAPS TRAPS COULD BE STRUCTURAL: Anticline easy to locate with very low risk Fault bound easy to locate with fair risk STRATIGRAPHIC: Pinchouts tougher to locate with high risk Channels tougher to locate with high risk MORPHOLOGICAL Buried hill Reef

TYPES OF TRAPS

SEISMIC DATA SHOWING STRUCTURAL VARIATION

DRILLING TO CONFIRM Only when a structure is rated as prospective in terms of trap, seal, migration and source, it is drilled. A chance of success (COS/POS) of 20 to 35 % is considered risk worthy. Only 1 in 3 to 5 exploration wells find oil/ gas Drilling is expensive, risky and tough. Coring, logging, testing are part of drilling ops.

DRILLING AND DRILLING RIG

INCORPORATION OF DATA

HOW MUCH IS THERE

After a well is drilled, it is logged i.e. parametric measurements are taken using electric, nuclear and sonic methods. Porosity, permeability, gas/ water saturation, pressure, salinity are calculated. Indicative zones are then perforated to test the flow of gas/oil. Testing certifies a well as discovery or dry. Discovery will lead to estimation of likely volume of oil/ gas in the structure. Initial estimation determines whether appraisal survey and wells are required.

APPRAISAL AND DEVELOPMENT

DISCOVERY IS APPRAISED BY ADDITIONAL SEISMIC 2D/ 3D PRODUCTIVE ZONES ARE MAPPED FOR MORE ACCURATE EXTENT AND THICKNESS MORE WELLS ARE DRILLED TO CONFIRM THE APPARISAL RESERVE CALCULATED MORE ACCURATELY PRODUCTION LEVEL DETERMINED PRODUCTION WELLS ARE DRILLED FOR OPTIMISED PRODUCTION

HOW MANY WELLS IN A FIELD

Once the reserve volume is determined number of wells that can be drilled is estimated. Volume of reserve, distribution of reservoir, type of depletion mechanism, economic considerations are guiding factors. Reservoirs may be continuous or discrete, depletion zone per well may vary, field life vis a vis investment required are major variables.

RESERVOIR VARIATION

RESERVOIR VARIATION

HOW MUCH PER WELL

Production volume per day/ year from each field is based on the field producibility taking in to consideration field life cycle and economic investment. Each well is designed to produce an optimal volume based on the reservoir condition: porosity, permeability, petrology, saturation etc. Over production ignoring rock/ reservoir property will result in reservoir damage, loss of productive sand, water coning, sand infiltration etc.

HOW MUCH PER WELL

Wells may have theoretical capability to produce more than its optimal flow; but it is undesirable to over produce wells to meet demand. Over production sustained for long period will cause loss of reservoir, leaving isolated zones that can not be produced; or deplete the field without recovering maximum reserve. Bakhrabad and Sangu are two significant example.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION